Barney Swan

I wanted to show the nature of a line. Line is essentially the basis for everything we see around us. It’s through the simplicity of line that the great works and wonders of the world are created. The theory of string aims to tell audiences of the beauty and the power of a line. That something simple can form something complex, and that something so weak can also be so strong. The work entices audiences to interact with it, to touch and to feel it. It is this intrigue about something so unassuming that exemplifies the nature of a line.

Collection connections

What are the similarities and differences between Barney Swan’s and Antony Gormley’s approaches to artmaking? Discuss, in particular, their use of line and arrangement and how this connects with their ideas.

Explore a single element in art such as line, space, form, texture or colour, and develop your experiments into a body of work.